Softball Drops a Pair of Losses on Opening Day of CenturyLink Classic

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team dropped two tough losses today to Ball State and Southern Illinois on the opening day of the CenturyLink Classic, hosted by Texas State. Freshmen Mackinzee Griebel and Brittney Morse led the Islanders' bats in their first career start as Islanders.

The Islanders will conclude play Sunday against Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. and Texas State at 5 p.m. Live stats and video can be found HERE on the CenturyLink Classic Central Page and as always follow Islanders Softball on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersSball) and Facebook (Islanders Softball) for the latest information.

GAME 1: Ball State 12, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 2

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Ball State University ignited for 14 hits and the Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team suffered its first loss of the season 12-2, Saturday in the CenturyLink Classic, hosted by Texas State. The Cardinals (2-0) scored in the first three innings before a three-run home run by Lauren Schroeder in the fifth ended the game.

Griebel went 2-for-3 in her first game as an Islander. She was outstanding at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. She also had an impressive diving play in right field for her first putout of her career. Mickayla Cochran, Lindsey Lyles, Valerie Perez and Dani Tefft all added singles for the Islanders' offense. Morse added the Islanders' third double of the game in the fourth with a blast to left center.

In the opening frame, Griebel led things off with a double to right field and Cochran reached on a hit by pitch, however the Cardinals escaped the inning. Ball State followed with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead. The Cardinals padded its lead to 7-0 in the second with four runs on a pair of hits and two Islanders' errors.

The Islanders got on the board in the top of the third with two runs on three hits to pull within five. Tefft led the inning with a single up the middle and scored on a Griebel double down the left field line. After a fly out, Lyles singled to right field to advance Griebel to third. J.J. Jackson followed with a RBI ground out to first to score Griebel and post the Islanders' second run of the game. A pop up by Valerie Perez capped the Islanders' scoring.

Ball State tacked on two runs on three hits and an Islanders' throwing error in the third to extend its lead back to seven. The Islanders held the Cardinals in the fourth before a three-run home run over the center field fence by Schroeder lifted Ball State to its second victory of the season.

Liz Carter took the loss for the Islanders in her first career start. The freshman allowed 12 hits and four walks while striking out two in four innings. Freshman Katie Blanar replaced Carter in in the fifth and allowed two hits and two runs.

Kelsey Schifferdecker picked up the win for the Cardinals. She allowed just seven hits, two runs while striking out four batters in five innings.

GAME 2: Southern Illinois 11, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 7

The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team outhit Southern Illinois 11-9, but a three-run home run in the third and a pair of runs in the final two frames helped the Salukis earn an 11-7 victory Saturday night. Morse powered the Islanders' bat with two home runs and a double on the opening day of the CenturyLink Classic at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

After freshman Griebel led the Islanders' (0-2) offense in a 12-2 loss to Ball State earlier today, Morse took over in the second game with some quality at bats. She cranked her first career home run over the center field wall in the bottom of the first to put the Islanders on the board 1-0 and followed it with a leadoff double in the fifth to pull the Islanders within one. The native of Yuma, Ariz. then led the seventh with a home run again over the center field wall.

Southern Illinois (2-0), who topped Stephen F. Austin in their first game today, answered with three runs on two hits in the top of the second to garner the lead, 3-1.

After a leadoff ground out in the second, Hayley Galloway hit a double to center field before junior transfer Cassidy Ivy stepped to the plate. In her first career at bat, Ivy blasted a home run over the right field wall to score Galloway. The Islanders tacked on their fourth run of the game after Tefft tripled to left center and scored on a Griebel single to the pitcher.

With the Islanders in front 4-3, the Salukis answered with four runs on two hits in the top of the third to push ahead 7-4. After a RBI single by Brook Womack, Taylor Harris hit a three-run home run over the center field wall to give the Salukis the lead.

The Islanders added a run in the bottom of the third and the fifth to pull within one. With one out in the third, Jackson hit a single through the right side and Michelle Sorenson, who came in to pinch run for Jackson, scored on a sacrifice fly by Galloway. In the fifth, Morse led off with a double and pinch runner Jessica Mendez plated the Islanders' sixth run of the game on a wild pitch after advancing to third on a single by Perez.

Southern Illinois tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh before Morse hit her second career home run.

Morse led the Islanders with three hits, while Perez added two, and Griebel, Jackson, Galloway, Ivy, Tefft and Lyles all chipped in one apiece.

Constance Brandenburg (0-1) took the loss for the Islanders. She allowed four hits and seven runs while walking four in two innings. Carter relieved Brandenburg in the circle and allowed five hits, four runs while walking four and striking out four in four innings.

Alyssa Wunderlich (1-0) earned the victory for the Salukis in four innings. She allowed six hits, three runs and two walks while recording three strikeouts.